I often think about the positive that comes from the Web 2.0 world when churches allow their pastors to dive into it. Why else would I post everyday? I don’t think very many churches or pastors dive in effectively, but the few that do create a lot of positive influence on the web for people inside and outside their church. For me, there are 5 solid reasons that your pastor should blog and/or Twitter, 5 reasons they should dive into the web 2.0 world:

It allows pastors to build relationships with people outside of the Sunday morning gathering. Especially in large churches, pastors have limited access with the people at their church. They are pulled in a lot of directions and very often those things pull the pastor away from the most important thing: the people. A blog allows relationships to be formed and to deepen.

It allows them to expand the topic of their weekly message and build a conversation around it. I can’t tell you how many times I go home on Sunday wishing the pastor would have expanded on a certain topic in their message. A blog is a great place to allow for those questions and conversations to happen.

It shows they are human. They sin, they watch sports, they have families, etc. Outside of the cute family story in the message, most church attenders know nothing about a pastors daily life. The web 2.0 world is a window into what that pastor is really like.

It promotes a conversation (when done correctly) rather than preaching. As our world becomes more postmodern and community decision-based, the value and effectiveness of the Sunday sermon goes down. Pastors need a way to allow for a conversation instead of the top-down learning model that preaching presents.

It allows for considerable connection with other pastors. I tell people all the time that I’ve learned about as much through the web 2.0 world as I have in seminary. There is so much great stuff out there and there are great thinkers who are putting their thoughts onto blogs. Pastors need to be connected with people going through the same things.

I was pumped when I found out that our new pastor blogs and is on twitter (@johnfehlen). It has definitely helped in developing our relationship, and I think it is a good way to keep connected to what the people of the church are doing on a regular basis. I don’t know if this would be quite as effective at other churches. I guess it needs to fit within the culture of the church. If the church is on twitter, the pastor should be on twitter.

http://jendakerr.blogspot.com/ Jen Kerr

This is great!
My hubs, a site pastor, was just trying to explaing twitter to exec and sr. pastor yesterday. All he got was blank stares…:0

http://manofdepravity.com Tyler

Not too surprising.

http://ryanguard.net ryanguard

The only downfall is having to watch what you say. I’ve censored every Twitter and blog post I’ve ever written because my church staff is online. I only tell my dog what I REALLY think.

http://vinthomas.com/blog Vin Thomas

That tells me something either about you or about them. Hmm…

http://manofdepravity.com Tyler

Ryan- Partially I think that is a reality for anyone, anywhere. If you don’t have some sort of a filter, you will end up offending everyone.

Yonas

So Ryan, did the dog agree?

http://ash-nits.blogspot.com ash

wagging tail= agree.
not wagging= doesn’t agree
so which was it?

Yonas

Wagging tail? Why can’t just the dog talk?

Oh I got a good one now (and believe me I have a logical answer to this. A reliable source at Disney gave me the answer):

Why does Pluto not have the ability to talk, but Goofy does?

http://ash-nits.blogspot.com ash

b/c pluto was created to be a side kick character for mickey mouse (ironic) and goofy is actually created to be his own “lead” character. yes i know, in one way or another they’re all the “mighty mouse’s minions”- but that’s besides the point.

http://www.jenniclayville.com Jenni Clayville

I love this post! All of this to show you’re a real person and that you DESIRE to know people

http://godpowered.blogspot.com Kendall Massey

Nice work Tyler. See if Fred can get this up on The Worship Community. I think it applies to Worship Pastors as well (or whatever title your church calls you…)

http://jkirton2.blogspot.com John M. Kirton II

While I do agree with all the above points, unfortunately, some pastors, especially of those who lead large churches, just don’t have the time to dedicate to such a communique. Case in point: I know of a pastor who is SO busy that he’s blogging, but the blog is then managed by his assistant, who, in turn, decides which comments are worthy of the blog and which are not. This is NOT an example of “building a relationship” or “conversation”.

Anyone have any suggestions to an alternative?

http://manofdepravity.com Tyler

Valid point John. I would say if a pastor is “too busy” to blog then he doesn’t understand blogging. I would say that it takes 30 minutes a day to blog well. I don’t know any pastor who couldn’t be more efficient with his or her time to be able to join the conversation.

thoughtswithth3rd

i got to say some pastors are to busy to blog. i mean yes blogging takes 30 minutes, maybe an hour if you are a perfectionist. some pastors enjoy studying for their sermon and actually going out to their congregation though. so in that case i would say it is acceptable for the pastor to not blog

http://manofdepravity.com Tyler

valid point, but i’d say that a pastor who is too busy to blog has his priorities out of whack. i’d say a pastor needs to blog to extend his reach into his congregation beyond sunday morning.